United States. Dürr Systems' new On-Campus Test and Training Center offers unique resources that provide offline opportunities for OEMs to test and optimize paint materials and sealants before entering mass production.
Dürr explained that since opening in early 2016, this southfield, Michigan-based facility has been so popular with customers that it has been booked at capacity almost every month.
In collaboration with paint manufacturers and suppliers, Dürr experts develop and test future-oriented painting methods, concepts and solutions for the automotive, coating and general industries. OEMs can work in a hands-on environment with their own products. The customer's product requirements and best-in-class Dürr solutions combine for a perfect finish. This leads to successful production results and faster vehicle launches.
The Ecopaint Oven at the Test Center is the only furnace of its kind in North America. It is a full-size furnace for automobiles, configurable to simulate radial and convection heating processes. The oven has two zones, each with a direct fire heater, and features a large cross-section with the ability to bake full-size vehicles.
The Ecopaint furnace allows the examination of the body - heavy metal areas, threshold, B-pillar, rail under the body, inserts for protection against collisions and rollovers, etc. - to locate problem points with curing or cooling.
If a physical car is not available, Dürr's patented computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on customers' vehicle CAD data can be completed to optimize curing processes.
Testing opportunities are also offered in the area of paint application. The test center contains two EcoRPL133 7-axis paint robots on rails and a 6-axis EcoRPL033 housed in two spray booths. These robots enable flexible, performance-based testing of multiple processes, and are equipped with high-speed rotation atomizers (EcoBell3), hood cleaners (EcoBell Cleaner), color changers and metering pumps.
